Easley Chamber selects Cannon Memorial Hospital as May business of the month.

CannonMemorialHospitalin Pickens was selected as business of the month for May by the Easley Chamber of Commerce board of directors.  Most recently Cannon received a 3-year reaccreditation from Det Norske Veritas Healthcare, Inc. (DNV).   DNV is the first and only CMS approved accreditation program that integrates ISO 9001 quality methods with Medicare Conditions of Participation.  Cannon has worked for the past 3 years to become ISO compliant.  The results are pending for this certification, however once received, Cannon Memorial Hospital will be the first hospital in the state to be ISO accredited – hospital wide.

 “Becoming ISO certified hospital wide demonstrates to our customers- our patients- thatCannonHospital is focused on a commitment to quality within all levels of our organization,” said Norman Rentz, CEO of Cannon Hospital.  “It also indicates the level of care and standardized treatment patients can expect when services are provided to them at our hospital or physician practices.”

Twenty teams participated in the event.

A photo was made with each team accompanied by Miss South Carolina Bree Boyce, Miss Easley Lauren Lytle, and Miss Easley Teen Allison Hale.

Presenting sponsors Best Chevrolet and Best Kia provided a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic and a 2012 Kia Optima for the hole in one prize on holes 8 and 17 at Smithfields.

 “It is still the best organized golf tournament in Pickens County.”  As quoted by golf participant Mike Kingsmore of Palmetto Finishing Company.

 Sponsors were:

Presenting Sponsors:   Best Chevrolet, Best Kia

Platinum sponsors:  King Asphalt, Great Clips, Walmart, DunBurks Premier Events, Garrison Business and Tax Service, Sulzer Process Pumps, McNair Law Firm,TriCountyTechnicalCollege, Benson Ford Nissan, Kudzu Staffing, City ofEasley

Gold sponsors:  CPM Federal Credit Union, Certus Bank, Michael Dent- Allstate Insurance, Dominion Signs, Costco, BB&T

Awards were presented to the First Place team, 2^nd award to 7^th Place Team, and the 3^rd award to the 13^th Place team.  An award was also given to the longest drive and the closest to the pin.

Prior to the tournament, the Michael Dent Insurance Agency held a “break the windshield contest” at the Smithfields Driving range.

May 3, Thursday – 10:30 am

May 4, Friday – 7:30 – 9:00 am Business before Hours, Taste of Distinction, 2274 Powdersville Road, Easley. Sponsored by Bill Scott, MD – featuring Age Management.
Great breakfast and network with great people. RSVP to 859-2693

May 8, Tuesday – 8:30 am Ambassadors Meeting

May 10, Thursday – 5:15 pm Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Clemson Eye, 15 Southern Center Court (near Hampton Inn). Business after Hours immediately follows ribbon cutting.

May 10, Thursday – 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Business after Hours sponsored by Clemson Eye Enjoy great food and meet great people. No charge for chamber members. RSVP to 859-2693.

May 15, Tuesday – 8:00 am Board of Directors Meeting

May 15, Tuesday – 10:00 am Ribbon cutting for Upstate Data. 6944 Calhoun Memorial Hwy.

May 16, Wednesday – 12 noon – 1:00 PM. “Elder care Planning for the Future”. Topics include: Medicare, Medicaid, and Long Term Care Decisions lunch & learn seminar by Babb & Brown at Taste of Distinction, 2274 Powdersville Road. No cost to chamber members. RSVP by May 14 to 859-2693 or ecc@easleychamber.org.

May 17, Thursday – 11:45 am – 1:00 PM Easley Chamber Luncheon held at DunBurks Premier Events, 110 E. Main St. Easley. Special Memorial Day program – Mr. Bill Robinson speaking on WWII and Sgt. Brewer speaking on today’s U.S. Army. $15 for members $18 for non-members. RSVP by 5/15 to 859-2693 or ecc@easleychamber.org.

May 23 – 2:00-3:30 pm Excellence in Business Series held at Maximum Potential Training, 900 East Main Street, Suite BB, Easley. Easley Patch will speak on social media. RSVP to 859-2693.

May 23, Wednesday – 10:00 am. Ribbon Cutting for Green Pro Inc., 1737 Powdersville Road.

May 24, 25 – 7:30 am – 9:00 am Excellence in Business Series held at Maximum Potential Training, 900 East Main Street, Suite BB, Easley. Easley Patch will speak on search engines then on great websites. . RSVP to 859-2693.

May 24, Thursday, – Noon – 1:00 pm Powdersville Business Council Luncheon at Powdersville Library, Hwy 81. Dept. of Transportation – Judy Shelato will be speaking on Powdersville Hwy 153 proposals. $15 for members $18 for non-members. RSVP by 5/22 to 859-2693.

The Easley Chamber of Commerce has been blessed over the years with outstanding young people who have served for a semester as interns. They get college credit hours for their service and more important, they get valuable work experience that helps them as they go out to look for jobs after college. Southern Wesleyan University, Clemson University, and TriCounty Technology College participate in this program with us.

Henry Villafranco is a graduating senior majoring in marketing from Southern Wesleyan University and was captain of SWU soccer team and a Soccer All American second team. Henry’s project for the chamber was the total updating of the tourist map for Easley. These maps are given to relocators and tourist when they come into the chamber so they can see the major restaurants and business in Easley and Powdersville. It is important that it is up to date and Henry worked hard to get the businesses accurate and in the correct placement on the maps.

Cara Smith, a communications major from Clemson University will be starting in May as our summer intern. Cara is a 2010 EHS graduate and lives in Easley. Her project will be an Iphone App for the city of Easley and our chamber of commerce. She also will help with the day to day operations of the chamber and visitors center. Cara helped with the recent golf tournament and will be involved with the Big League Baseball World Series July 24 – August 1.

Many Thanks to the Greenville News for Supplying our Chamber Notes

May 2012 Chamber Notes Now Online:

CLICK HERE to view, download, or print the entire Greenville News May 2012 Easley Chamber News as a PDF file

Teresa Wood, Diane Sentell, Terry Garrison, Shelley Riddle –associates with Garrison Business and Tax Services

Garrison Business and Tax Service hosted a Chamber Business after Hours with over 200 attendees on 4/24 at DunBurks Premier Events. Terry Garrison is celebrating his 40th year in business in our area and many of his clients, Rotary friends, and Chamber friends attended this event. Miss Easley, Miss Easley Teen, and Miss Powdersville attended the business after hours and the group was entertained with a guitar voice from Miss Easley Teen. Many door prizes were given by a random number drawing. The top prize was $100 given to Barbara Stuckey.

Easley Chamber of Commerce directors and ambassadors with Garrison Business and Tax Service - Shelley Riddle, Theresa Wood, Terry Garrison, and Diane Sentell.

Garrison Business and Tax Service Business of the Month

The board of directors of the Easley Chamber of Commerce selected Garrison Business and Tax Service at the business of the month for April. Garrison has been a long time member and past Chairman of the board of the Easley Chamber.

This month, Terry Garrison celebrates 40 years as a local accountant serving Easley.
He and his business are also active as the long time secretary of the Easley Rotary Club, business manager of the Miss Easley pageant, active in his Shiloh Methodist Church, and continuous sponsor of Chamber of Commerce events.

Leonard Williams, directors of the Career and Technology Center

Pickens County Career and Technology Center Hosts joint Chambers and Manufacturer’s luncheon

The Easley Chamber of Commerce, Pickens Chamber of Commerce, and the Manufacturer’s Council of the Easley Chamber held a joint luncheon meeting at the Pickens County Career and Technology Center, 900 Chastain Road, near Liberty. Over eighty (80) were in attendance at this new facility which opened August 2011. Dr. Leonard Williams, director of the center, spoke on the many courses available to the 1100 students it serves.

A demonstration was given by students on robotics. The culinary department students provided the luncheon meal. The flower centerpieces on the tables were made by students in the horticulture department.

After the program Dr. Williams and staff members provided tours of the different career and technology departments for attendees.

In photo: Back row - Ben Cole, Curator Les McCall, Commission Sue Cole, Senator Larry Martin, Commission Chairman Bill Steirer, SCPRT Director Duane Parrish, Ex. Director Vicki Fletcher, Mayor Frank Crenshaw, House Ways & Means Chairman Brian White, Commissioner Mary Mills, Rep. Don Bowen, Tourism & Events Coordinator Emmeline Martin. Included in front row - members of Hunter family Gil Hunter, Marcia & Benjie Purcell, Allan Coleman, Poll Knowland, Jo McConnell, Ada Lou Steirer, Pickens County Councilman Jeff Martin, and Connie Brown.

Chairman of SC House Ways & Means Committee Brian White and Director of SC Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Duane Parrish joined Commissioners and Staff of Pendleton District Historical, Recreational, and Tourism Commission and members of Easley Chamber of Commerce in cutting the ribbon to officially re-open the Commission’s 162 year-old Regional Tourism headquarters building, Hunter’s Store Friday,

Few buildings last 162 years, but Hunter’s Store has stood sentinel over the Village Green of Pendleton since 1850. First used as a General Store where patrons purchased everything from rope to ribbons, shoes to salt, yard goods to yams, and forged mallets to fresh meat, the building was used for storage after the “New” Hunter’s Store was built just across Jackson Street in the late 1920’s. In 1968, Pendleton District Commission took ownership and made several changes to the building to allow for its use as the Regional Tourism and Historic Preservation headquarters, installing running water and electricity. The current restoration re-opened the original front doors, created additional support for the second floor, returned the side entry to its original location, added shelving for handicap accessible historic publications and papers, and made space for a growing collection of Local History documents and artifacts as well as a large number of local and regional tourism brochures. Plans are underway to create displays featuring the work of additional local artists and artisans, thus enticing visitors to purchase locally crafted products.

Those who joined in celebrating the restoration of Hunter’s Store will be able to point with pride to the structure and tell their great-grandchildren they were here when the building’s front doors were re-opened to the public. With the completion of the restoration, the grand old building should stand for at least another 162 years!